Lec 1: Psychiatric Diagnosis and Nosology

Question 1

Diagnosis

Answer 1

classification of disorders by symptoms and signs; cornerstone of clinical care

Question 2

Advantages of Diagnosis

Answer 2

facilitates communications between professionals; advances search for causes and treatments

Question 3

DSM-5

Answer 3

current edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; published by APA

Question 4

Changes in DSM-5

Answer 4

no more axes, instead categories: clinical syndromes, psychosocial & environmental problems, plus specific severity rating; new diagnoses; combined diagnoses; clearer criteria

Question 5

Categorical Diagnosis

Answer 5

presence/absence of a disorder; yes/no

Question 6

Dimensional Diagnosis

Answer 6

rank on a continuous scale; ex. 1-10

Question 7

Ethnic/Cultural Considerations

Answer 7

different risk factors, symptoms; willingness to seek help and availability of treatments

Question 8

Interrater Reliability

Answer 8

extent to which clinicians agree on a diagnosis; usually good in DSM, esp in formal research settings

Question 9

Validity

Answer 9

diagnoses are constructs, and strong construct validity predicts a wide range of characteristics; very important

Question 10

Criticisms of Classification

Answer 10

stigmatization of mental illness; categories vs individuality of situation; may emphasize trivial similarities, ignore more important

Question 11

Psychological Assessment

Answer 11

describe, determine cause, and diagnose client problem; diagnose; develop treatment plan and monitor progress; ideal assessment includes multiple methods

Question 12

Clinical Interview

Answer 12

pay attention to how questions are answered, emotions; good rapport; formal vs informal

Question 13

Self-Report Personality Inventories

Answer 13

profile of psychological functioning; MMPI; detect lying

Question 14

Projective Tests

Answer 14

Rorschach Inkblot; Thematic Apperception; responses to ambiguous stimuli reflect unconscious processes; often seen as not scientifically valid

Question 15

Intelligence Tests

Answer 15

WAIS and WISC; assesses current mental ability

Question 16

Behavioral Observation

Answer 16

sequence of behavior divided into segments (antecedents, consequences); often conducted in lab setting or videotaped

Question 17

Self-Observation

Answer 17

self-monitoring; Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) collection of data in real time using diaries/devices; reactivity concerns

Question 18

Reactivity

Answer 18

the act of observing one’s behavior may alter it; desirable behaviors increase and undesirable decrease

Question 19

Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT scan)

Answer 19

reveals structural abnormalities; detects difference in tissue density

Question 20

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Answer 20

higher quality than CAT; fMRI can reveal function AND structure; measures blood flow in brain

Question 21

Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

Answer 21

Brain function; more invasive; receptor specific

Question 22

Brain Imaging

Answer 22

Not enough research done yet to become part of DSM/diagnosis

Question 23

Neurotransmitter Assessment

Answer 23

postmortem studies, actual examination of the brain; metabolites (byproducts of neurotransmitters) in urine or cerebrospinal fluid

Question 24

Neuropsychological Test

Answer 24

reveal performance deficits to indicate areas of brain malfunction; time, memory, sound tests

Question 25

Psychophysiological Assessment

Answer 25

electrocardiogram (EKG) heart rate; electrodermal responding (skin conductance); electroencapholgram (EEG) brain’s electrical activity measured by electrodes

Question 26

Cultural Bias in Assessment

Answer 26

measures developed for one group may not be valid for others; cultural bias may minimize/exaggerating psychological problems